You can change your iPhone keyboard in Settings, and you should know what permissions each keyboard asks for

Your iPhone comes with the standard Apple keyboard, but you can replace it with a third-party keyboard from the App Store — Gboard, SwiftKey, Microsoft Keyboard, or dozens of others. To switch keyboards, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, tap "Add New Keyboard," choose the app you want, and toggle it on. Then when you're typing anywhere on your phone, hold down the globe icon at the bottom left of the keyboard to switch between them.

The reason to pay attention to this in a privacy context is that third-party keyboards have access to everything you type — including passwords, messages, credit card numbers, and search queries — unless you explicitly turn off "Full Access" for that keyboard. Apple's own keyboard does not have full access by default. Before you add any third-party keyboard, check what it's asking permission to do, and understand that you're giving a private company a window into your typing.

Key Takeaways

  • Third-party keyboards can see everything you type unless you disable "Full Access" in Settings, which means they can capture passwords and private messages.
  • To add a keyboard, read the app from the App Store, then go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard and toggle it on.
  • You can switch between keyboards while typing by holding the globe icon at the bottom left of the keyboard.
  • Apple's built-in keyboard does not request full access, but most third-party keyboards do — read the permission request before you allow it.
  • You can remove a keyboard by going to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, swiping left on the keyboard name, and tapping Delete.

What "Full Access" means and why it matters

When you add a third-party keyboard, iOS shows you a permission screen that says the keyboard wants "Full Access." This is not a vague warning — it means the keyboard developer can see, record, and store every character you type on your phone, in any app. That includes your banking passwords, text messages to your doctor, search queries about health conditions, and anything else you type into your phone.

Some keyboard apps use this access legitimately: they need to see what you're typing to offer autocorrect, predictive text, or emoji suggestions. But the permission itself does not distinguish between keyboards that need it and keyboards that don't. Once you grant full access, the app's privacy policy — not Apple — controls what happens to that data. Some keyboards send typing data to their servers for analytics or to improve their prediction models. Others sell anonymized typing patterns to advertisers. Some store it locally on your phone only.

If you do not grant full access, the keyboard still works, but it cannot offer autocorrect or predictive features, because it cannot see what you're typing. The choice is yours: convenience and smarter suggestions, or a keyboard that cannot see your typing.

How to check and change keyboard permissions after you've added one

If you've already added a third-party keyboard and want to know whether it has full access, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards. Tap the keyboard name (not the toggle switch). A screen will appear showing whether "Allow Full Access" is turned on or off. If it's on, the keyboard can see everything you type. If it's off, it cannot.

To turn full access off, tap the toggle next to "Allow Full Access" so it turns gray. The keyboard will continue to work, but without access to your typing. You may notice that autocorrect and predictive text stop working, or work less well, because the keyboard no longer has the information it needs to make predictions.

To turn full access back on, return to the same screen and toggle it on again. You can change this setting at any time — there's no penalty for switching it on and off.

How to remove a keyboard you no longer want

If you decide you don't want a third-party keyboard anymore, you can remove it without uninstalling the app. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards. Find the keyboard you want to remove, swipe left on it, and tap the red Delete button. The app itself stays on your phone, but the keyboard will no longer appear when you hold the globe icon.

If you want to remove the app entirely, go to your home screen, press and hold the app icon, tap "Remove App," and choose "Delete App." This removes both the keyboard and the app.

Reading a keyboard app's privacy policy before you add it

Before you read a third-party keyboard, look at its privacy policy on the App Store. Tap the app name, scroll down to "Privacy," and tap "See Details." This shows you what data the developer says they collect and what they do with it. Look for language about whether they store your typing data, whether they send it to their servers, and whether they share it with third parties.

Privacy policies are often written in legal language that's hard to parse, but you're looking for specific answers: Does the developer keep a copy of what you type? Do they use it to train their prediction models? Do they sell it or share it with advertisers? Do they delete it after a certain time? If the policy is vague or doesn't address these questions, that's a sign to be cautious.

Some well-known keyboards like Gboard (made by Google) and SwiftKey (made by Microsoft) have published privacy policies that explain their data practices in detail. Smaller or newer keyboards may have less transparent policies. You're not looking for a perfect policy — you're looking for honesty about what they collect and what they do with it, so you can decide whether the trade-off is worth it to you.

Why Apple's keyboard is different

Apple's built-in keyboard does not request full access, which means it cannot see your typing in the same way third-party keyboards can. Apple says that on-device machine learning for autocorrect and predictive text happens locally on your phone, not on Apple's servers. Your typing data is not sent to Apple's data centers for analysis.

This does not mean Apple's keyboard is perfect or that your typing is completely private — Apple can still see what you type if you use iCloud Keychain, and Apple can see search queries if you use Siri or Safari. But for basic typing in Messages, Mail, or Notes, the keyboard itself does not have the same level of access that third-party keyboards do.

If privacy is your main concern, sticking with Apple's keyboard means you're not granting a third-party company access to your typing. If you prefer the features of a third-party keyboard, you can use it without full access and accept that autocorrect will be less powerful.

Switching between keyboards while you're typing

Once you've added more than one keyboard, you can switch between them without going back to Settings. When you're in any app that uses a keyboard — Messages, Mail, Notes, a web browser — look at the bottom left of the keyboard. You'll see a globe icon. Hold your finger on it (don't tap, hold) and a menu will appear showing all your active keyboards. Tap the one you want to use.

Alternatively, you can tap the globe icon once to cycle through your keyboards in order. Each tap switches to the next keyboard on your list. This is faster if you only have two keyboards and you switch between them often.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a third-party keyboard steal my passwords?

If you grant it full access, yes — it can see every character you type, including passwords. This is why you should only grant full access to keyboards from companies you trust, and why you should check the privacy policy before you do. If you don't grant full access, the keyboard cannot see your passwords.

Does turning off full access break the keyboard?

No, the keyboard still works. You just lose features like autocorrect and predictive text, because the keyboard can't see what you're typing to make predictions. Basic typing and letter input still function normally.

Can I use different keyboards for different apps?

No, iOS doesn't let you set a default keyboard per app. You can only switch keyboards manually by holding the globe icon. However, you can turn off full access for a keyboard and use it only in apps where you don't need autocorrect, and use Apple's keyboard in sensitive apps like banking or password managers.

What happens to my data if I remove a keyboard?

That depends on the keyboard app's privacy policy. Some keyboards delete data from their servers when you remove the keyboard; others keep it. Check the app's privacy policy or contact the developer if you want to know what happens to data they've already collected.

Is Gboard safe to use?

Gboard is made by Google and is widely used. Google's privacy policy says they use typing data to improve their prediction models, but they don't store your individual keystrokes indefinitely. If you're comfortable with Google having access to your typing patterns, Gboard is a legitimate choice. If you're not, don't grant it full access or use Apple's keyboard instead.